The Timberwolves look unmotivated and unorganized. They have a great
deal of young talent but it seems that no one knows when they are going
to play and when they do, they are lethargic. Al Jefferson, who usually
eats up the Sonics, has 13 points and six rebounds through three
periods and doesn’t look very inspired.

The Timberwolves have lost 10 games by 10 or more points. They’re not
drawing flies to the Target Center. Practices become a stop-and-start
process, as Wittman must explain simple concepts again and again to his
young team. Wittman has had to undergo back surgery this season as well.

"Just as long as we understand where we’re trying to go, that’s the
main thing," Wittman said last week, after taking yet another pounding.
"As a coach, you don’t have any control over that. You hope that
everybody has the big picture in mind here of what we’re trying to do.
But I also know that it happens the other way, too."

The Wolves held a morning shootaround Saturday — rare for the second
half of back-to-back games — at the Sonics’ downtown training facility
because they arrived early in town (midnight) and because they had
things to work on after Friday’s loss in Portland. …Wolves General
Manager Jim Stack scouted Gonzaga and No. 11 Tennessee in a collegiate game at KeyArena on Saturday afternoon.

After starting the season well in Minnesota, Gomes,
acquired from the Celtics in the Kevin Garnett trade, fell into a
shooting slump. He went through a 10-game stretch in which he shot 33.3
percent and wasn’t as effective in other areas of his game, either.

But Gomes is playing better now that he has found
his shooting touch again. He averaged 16.5 points on 46.9 percent
shooting with seven rebounds and 1.5 steals in the four games (all
starts) before Saturday’s matchup at Seattle. He cooled off a bit
against the Sonics, scoring 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting.